What is the Santa Summit?
Once a year The Santa Claus of Greenland Foundation invites Santa Claus' from all over the world to participate in a Santa Summit Meeting in Greenland, the home of Santa Claus.
When and Where?
The first Santa Summit Meeting took place from 27th to 29th October 1995 in Ilulissat (Jakobshavn), situated in the Disko Bay at the west coast of Greenland, north of the Polar Circle.
Who'll be there?
In 1995 Greenland could welcome Santas from as far away as Australia, The United States, Canada and from many European countries. For the participating Santa Claus's it was a unique opportunity to visit the snow-covered homeland of the true Santa Claus and meet with other Santas from all over the world.
The Santa Claus Foundation had prepared a very full programme of exciting events for the Santa Summit '95.
Santa School
Even Santa needs a fresher course now and then! All the Santas took part in Santa School where they learned how to become even better Santas and graduated as an authorised Santa Claus of Greenland.
The Santa World Games
Who is the best dressed Santa Claus in the world? Who is fastest at climbing chimneys and delivering presents? Which country can decorate the nicest Christmas tree? These were some of the main disciplines in the first Official World Santa Games, held in Greenland.
The Biggest Santa Sleigh in the World
The biggest Santa Sleigh in the world was inaugurated during the Santa Summit. The participating Santas from around the globe tested the sleigh and gave it their stamp of approval at the inauguration ceremony.
Santa of the Year 1995
The Santa Claus of Greenland Foundation has established a special Santa of the Year Award which is given once a year to an individual, who has made a special effort for children and their environment.
The award for 1995 was given to Mr. Nelson Mandela, president of South Africa, together with a donation of US$ 100,000 to be used for charity programmes for homeless children in his home country.
Sightseeing in the home land of Santa.
The visiting Santas had an opportunity to see the country where Santa Claus lives. They flew by helicopter to the ice-floe at Ilulissat and sailed by boat out to the majestic icebergs in the Disko Bay.
A Christmas concert in the Arctic
What better place to attend a Christmas Concert than in the arctic surroundings of Ilulissat? This special concert for the Santas featured the traditional Greenlandic choir in their colourful costumes and the Australian Tenor Costa Di Angela, who came from the opposite side of the globe, where Christmas is celebrated in the summer! Together they performed traditional Greenlandic hymns and Christmas classics.
Santas helpers
This event was made possible by a collaboration between business organisations in and outside Greenland. Companies who support the Santa Claus of Greenland Foundation share in the goodwill and respect generated by this event and other activities of the Foundation. In this connection we would like to thank Scandinavian Airlines System and Greenlandair, First Air of Canada, Royal Arctic Line, Royal Greenland and many other organisations who made this event possible.
Santa Students in the classroom. Santa Jim Quinn, Ireland, and Hans Ernst Weber, Switzerland, in the foreground
The Santa's standing up, singing, in the classroom
Santa Tom Valant, USA, lecturing in front of his Santa Student
Santa Carman Lamb, Canada, demonstrating the Rudolf gear
The Santa Games World Champion, Santa Jørgen Rosland, Denmark
World Champion Santa Jørgen Rosland with inuit child in his arms
From the Santa race: A Santa climping out of the chimney
Greenlandic girl in national costume, casting her vote in the panel of judges
Inuit children with Santa hats and Greenlandic flags watching the Santa Games
The 17 Santa's in front of the worlds largest sleigh together with the children of Ilulissat
Santa's waving from the bus as they leave Ilulissat Airport
The Santa's sailing among the icebergs from the Ililussat Ice-fiord
Mr. Conrad Sidego, South African embassador to Denmark, together with full size statue of Nelson Mandela in Santa Claus dress (jpg-file, 76 kb)
Mr. Lars Emil Johansen, prime minister of Greenland, together with full size statue of Nelson Mandela in Santa Claus dress (jpg-file, 48 kb)
The South African Embassador to Denmark, Mr. Conrad Sidego, and the Greenlandic prime minister, Mr. Lars Emil Johansen, together with full size statue of Nelson Mandela in Santa Claus dress (jpg-file, 74 kb)
Top of page
Santa Claus Homepage
Greenland Guide Index